Articles

May 2014

McNeese BCM director Keith Cating, Louisiana Baptist Convention State BCM director Mark Robinson and LBC Executive Director David Hankins were among those who broke ground on McNeese State’s new BCM building. McNeese is one of many BCMs around the state who have been involved in building expansions and renovations.

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer

LAKE CHARLES – Keith Cating has fond memories of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry building at McNeese State University where he is director and was once president while a student there.

But he and thousands of other alumni and students on the campus in Lake Charles are saying goodbye to the structure that was constructed in 1954, as a new BCM building will take its place this fall.

BLANCHARD – A chainsaw team from Blanchard recently responded to what Michael Burkhardt says is a more personal assignment than normal.

“I’ve responded to hurricanes, a tornado, wind storm and ice storm but this one was different because it was an individual homeowner,” said Burkhardt, a member of First Baptist Blanchard and blue hat, of the team. “Most times on a disaster we may do seven or eight jobs on one day, but this particular one was a day and a half to resolve this one home that was damaged.”

The Louisiana Baptist Singing Women recently sang for a women's conference at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Albany. The women are directed by Ray Ford and Richard Beeman. Their accompanist is LBC keyboard specialist Teresa Thomason. Concerts are given once a month at a different location within our state. Auditions are held prior to the August retreat and are open to all women in the Louisiana Baptist Convention who love to sing.

The Louisiana Baptist Singing Ministers recently gave a concert a First Baptist Church of Pineville. These monthly concerts are upbeat, engaging, and inspiring. They recently held a concert on April 24 at Trees Baptist Church in Vivian. Concerts are always free. At each concert, an offering is taken – all of which goes to the B. B. McKinney/Carroll Lowe Scholarship to help students preparing for worship ministry at one of our Baptist colleges or seminaries.

Tim Scott, Andrew Hackler, and Tayler Harris licensed to the gospel ministry at First Baptist Church, Mandeville. Scott serves as Global Missions Pastor; Hackler as Education Pastor and Harris has been added to the staff as Contemporary Worship Pastor.

Matthew McCorkle has resigned as youth minister at First Baptist Church, Holden.

NEWBERG, Ore. – A Christian university in Oregon must decide where it stands theologically and legally as it responds to an anti-discrimination complaint filed last week by a transgender student.

The student, referred to in legal documents as Jayce M., came to George Fox University in Newberg, Ore., about 25 miles south of Portland, as a woman but has been in the process of legally, and physically, changing her gender.

MONROE – On April 27 the Pastor Search Committee recommended Michael Wood as the church’s new lead Pastor, thus ending a year-long search. Wood, 33, will preach in view of a call on May with church members voting at the conclusion of the 9:30 and 11 a.m. services in West Monroe and the end of the 10:20 a.m. service at the First West Fairbanks multi-site location.

A Louisiana College trustee has posted on his personal blog a letter he previously sent to David Hankins, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, wherein he asks the director to resign or retire.

Jay Adkins, LC board member and pastor of First Baptist Church, Westwego, placed on his blog, The Crescent Crier, on April 22, a lengthy letter giving his reasons for calling on Hankins to remove himself from his post as leader of the LBC.